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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
A heads up from the start - this is not the same genre as 'My sister, the serial killer', however it is very much a good read. This is a tale of women who struggle with hardship, weak men and society which does not value them. I zipped through it, intrigued by the intergenerational tales of disappointment and sorrow.
A top read.
A top read.
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you loved My Sister, the Serial Killer then this is an immediate buy. This is like the literary form of an exceptional Nollywood movie. The characters and plot are deeply rooted in Nigeria and culture, even parts deemed taboo, but in a sensitive and intelligent way that has you rooting for all the characters, even the most diabolical. Give this book all the awards
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book a lot more than I did My Sister, The Serial Killer, which came across (to me) as touting it's whole 'your job is to be a rubbish bin for your pretty sociopath sister' schtick as some kind of virtue. Here the characters are much more realistic, much more grounded, and the novel as a whole feels like a much more accurate depiction of the three main characters lives over three different time periods. And I genuinely did feel invested in the characters and their trials and tribulations from start to finish. The problems I had was that I felt it's cursed/haunted family thread really didn't have much bite to it, so it never really managed to satisfyingly convey the hold the supposed family curse had over these women's lives. I read about it, and it makes it clear that it's there, and it's there in the novel, but it never really made me feel it. The writing is quite minimalist, which can work well, especially for tense and gritty plots, but here it seemed to take away a sense of vibrancy and flavour that I feel the setting and scenery really deserved, and doesn't really do much beyond merely telling you what's happening. It just felt a little flat, and tries to do a lot of things that I've read other writers so a lot better - Abi Dare for instance. All I can really say is that I think this is definitely a big improvement, and if you did enjoy My Sister the Serial Killer, you will definitely enjoy this.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely loved this one! It's very different, both tonally and stylistically, from My Sister, The Serial Killer, and sure to scratch that itch for people who love a good intergenerational novel with thoughtful character development. The interweaving of family lore and mythology was a great touch as well. Extremely captivating narrative voice--I could not put this down and finished within a day or two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Having read " My sister, the serial killer" I knew this book would be a good read. What I was not ready for was the detail in four generations and how each woman tried to outrun the curse, but didn't succeed or did they.
to me this book shines a light on how family history isn't shared and how a curse will follow you if you give it life. While Eniiyi is who we're introduced to as the reincarnation of her aunt. For me it's her mom who steals the book for me. Ebun left me wanting to know more about her and how she felt and what was going on in her mind the entire book. To see how Monife viewed her thru Ebuns eyes and what she "thought" she was feeling but never quite knowing. I think this was intentional because I believe this is how Eniiyi felt her entire childhood as well. This origin story was everything and the amount of detail in each person especially the men. Thank you Oyinkan Braithwaite, Atlantic books and Netgalley for the ARC read. This will definitely be an excellent 2025 read.
to me this book shines a light on how family history isn't shared and how a curse will follow you if you give it life. While Eniiyi is who we're introduced to as the reincarnation of her aunt. For me it's her mom who steals the book for me. Ebun left me wanting to know more about her and how she felt and what was going on in her mind the entire book. To see how Monife viewed her thru Ebuns eyes and what she "thought" she was feeling but never quite knowing. I think this was intentional because I believe this is how Eniiyi felt her entire childhood as well. This origin story was everything and the amount of detail in each person especially the men. Thank you Oyinkan Braithwaite, Atlantic books and Netgalley for the ARC read. This will definitely be an excellent 2025 read.